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Log into your Windows 8 User Account Automatically

If you are like me and have setup Windows 8 to use the new "Microsoft Account", you'll have to sign into Windows using your "Microsoft Account" password. For most users this will be their @hotmail.com (or @live.com) password.

Now, hopefully you are using a complex password on your account. That's all fine when you have setup your email client to check your hotmail/live account, or just sign in on the outlook.com (soon replacing hotmail.com) web site, but it gets old real fast if you have to sign into your Windows account using that password.

Yes, I know, there is something to be said that setting your computer to automatically log on to a user account could pose a security risk if you share your computer with other users, or if other people could easily gain physical access to your computer. If your computer logs on automatically, anyone will have the same access as the user account you have set to be automatically logged in to at start up (or resume). But like many users, I don't need this on my home computer. So once you understand the implications, let's get going!

To have Windows automatically log into your account, type netplwiz when you are at the Windows Start screen. Windows 8 will open a search and list the netplwiz App (Figure). Click on netplwiz, select your user name, and un-check the box Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer .

You'll have to enter the current password for your account to enable/disable this functionality.

Note that the above command will only function when run from an account with Administrator privileges (not from a Standard account).

There are two further options you may want to change. First there is the password that can be required after resuming from a screen saver. To disable, type screen saver settings when you are at the Windows Start screen. Click the "Settings" icon. You'll see "Change screen saver" listed as a result (Figure); click it. If you have a screen saver selected, make sure On resume, display logon screen is un-checked (Figure).

Secondly there is the password option that is set to be displayed after wakeup (from the Hibernate/Sleep state). To disable, type power options when you are at the Windows Start screen. Click the "Settings" icon (Figure). You'll see "Power Options" listed as a result; click it. in the Power Options window, at the left side, click Require a password on wakeup. Next you'll most likely have to first click the Change settings that are currently unavailable, after that select Don't require a password and press the Save changes button (Figure).